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Study Aids forCAT ON A HOT TIN ROOF
By Tennessee Williams
Table of Contents: Synopsis
Part One: Drama: A short introduction
Part Two: Tennessee Williams: A biography
Table of Contents: Part One
Drama: A short introduction– Classification– Definition– The concept of Aristotles– The Shakespearean drama– 20th century drama– Important dramatists after 1945
Classification
3 genres3 genres
lyriclyric epicepic dramadrama
poem novel playincludes:
Definition
Drama = work meant to be performed on stage by actors
The Concept of Aristotle(384 - 322 BC)
tragedyhistorica l top ic with k ings and gods as m ain characters
trag ic hero: fa lls despite his good intentions
comedyset in bourgeoisie
happy ending
drama
Unity of:• time
• place • action
Distinction:
Division of plot into acts
The Shakespearean drama Blurring of the strict conventions of
the Greek drama:
• comic elements in tragedies• (f.e. drunk porter in Macbeth)
• tragic elements in comedies • (f.e. faked death of the heroine in Much ado about nothing)• some tragedies are set in bourgeoisie
• (f.e. Romeo and Juliet)
20th century drama
The drama in the 20th century distinguishes itself by an increasing diversification
20th century drama
realistic „kitchen sink“ drama:
set in working class, contains social criticism
(f.e. George Bernard Shaw: Pygmalion)
20th century drama
absurd drama:
surrealistic plot
(f.e. Samuel Beckett: Waiting for Godot)
20th century drama
After 1945: increasing individualism of the dramatists.
Important Dramatists after 1945
Edward Albee (Who‘s afraid of
Virginia Woolf)
Important Dramatists after 1945
Arthur Miller (Death of a
Salesman)
He was married to ...
... Marilyn Monroe !
Important Dramatists after 1945
Harold Pinter (Look Back in
Anger)
Important Dramatists after 1945
Sam Shepard (True West)
He is also a famous actor
(f. e. The Pelican Brief with Julia Roberts)
GOOD LOOKING !GOOD LOOKING !
Important Dramatists after 1945
Thornton Wilder (Our Town)
Important Dramatists after 1945
and of course ...
... Tennessee Williams !
Table of Contents: Part Two
Tennessee Williams - A biography– childhood– university years– his success– his decline
His childhood
March 16, 1911: Tennessee Williams is born as Thomas Lanier Williams in Columbus, Mississippi
1911 - 1918: grows up in Clarksdale, Mississippi
1918:familiy moves to St Louis
University years 1929: Enters
University of Missouri
1931:Leaves university because his father wants him to work in a shoe company1938:Graduates from University of Iowa
1937:parents admit his sister Rose to a lunatic asylum
His success
1939: Wins his first prizes for American Blue and Battle of Angels.
1940: outs himself as a homosexual
His success
1944 -1955: writes his most famous plays
1944:The GlassMenagerie
1947:A Streetcar Named Desire
1955:Cat on a Hot Tin Roof
Hot! Hot!
Hot! Hot!
HOT!HOT!
His decline
Lack of success causes phases of depression
death of his longtime companion in 1963
increasing addiction to alcohol and pills
Feb 25, 1983:
dies in a hotel room as a result of his addiction
